Enjoyed the slow build of the plot, slowly revealing details in the lead up to the main event. At times though, it did feel a little too slow and perhaps could have been slightly faster paced in that respect. Well developed characters but I didn't particularly connect with any of them. Enjoyed the light hearted nature of the plot too.

Actual rating: 2.5/5

Anyone who's been around here before knows I love a good heist, even more so when it's tinged with revenge, con artists, women getting their power back, and some class commentary as this book seemed to be. And yet, despite being perfect on paper (it's also a historical novel!), The Housekeepers didn't win me over.

I really enjoyed the premise, as well as the details of the heist planning that were slowly unveiled, revealing the full picture only at the very end. The varied (and large) cast of characters added a certain dynamism, especially as the narration moved from one to the other to give the reader a bird's-eye view. Where most problems lay, for me, was in the execution: despite the high stakes and the numerous obstacles, I was never on edge or tense about the outcome in any way. If anything, for the most part I was simply... bored.

There were definitely some issues with the pacing for me, as everything seemed to move far too slowly and hardly any scene felt impactful and yet at the same time it appeared as though I hardly had any time to get to know the characters properly. Maybe there were too many of them for a book of this length, or maybe their backstories were too complex (it seemed everyone had a big, dark secret), but ultimately I cared about none.

The build-up to the heist took up the majority of the book, but when the climax came, it fell flat for me as if there just wasn't enough momentum to carry it over. There was simultaneously too much and not enough happening, which made for a frustrating reading experience, more a chore than a pleasure.

Still, some parts were definitely good, with humorous elements and some interesting characters who would have benefited from more breathing room. I could see kernels of good writing here and it is a decent debut, so I might give the author's next books another chance even though this one didn't meet my expectations.

This is a fun book about a group of women who work together. I felt the storyline was far fetched but it is written well. The characters were well developed but I couldn’t warm to them.

A great read, very entertaining and enjoyable. It makes a refreshing change to read a different sort of book, especially a light-hearted one like this. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Mrs King has a plan, one that is almost inconceivable in it's scope and daring, can she be successful in executing this plan?

I liked the idea of the book and was drawn into the initial narrative quickly bit I can't decide whether the plot became too convoluted - as relationships between the characters were drawn out; or whether I just lost interest as the plan developed in minutiae before actually being put into place.

This is not a bad book and I believe many will really enjoy the detail and the divergence in plot and character. For me it could have been shorter and the threads brought together in a speedier manner

I think a 3 star rating is accurate it might even be a little less than this for me

An Ocean's Eleven-esque romp through 1905 London, this book had me hooked from the start with its brilliant concept. While the execution may have faltered at times, the overall experience was thoroughly enjoyable. The comparison to Ocean's Eleven is apt, capturing the essence of cunning schemes and intricate plots. The audio narration was a standout feature, effortlessly distinguishing between the diverse cast of characters. Despite occasional pacing issues, my time immersed in the bustling streets of London was a delightful escape. In short, while not without its flaws, this book offers a captivating journey into a bygone era filled with intrigue and adventure

Historical drama between upstairs and downstairs. Lots of interesting characters and a few twists. But slow to get going.

Enjoyable Edwardian girl-powered heist.

London 1905. Although Lady De Vries is still in mourning for the loss of her father, she is planning an extravagant ball. Mrs King has just been fired and the ball is the perfect opportunity to execute her plan.

Mrs King has very personal reasons to seek revenge, but it isn't until the plot is underway that she discovers another terrible secret.

I really enjoyed this heist novel, there were only a couple of complaints i had with it. I found the range of characters interesting and varied and i enjoyed following the various exploits they got up to separately. The main conflict was done well and i think pacing helped work with this. I did think a couple of moments didn't work entirely but it didn't detract too much from the story for me. I would read more by this author as i really liked this one!

I really wanted to love this historical fiction, girl-power heist story but, unfortunately, too much of the plot involved moving furniture around for it to hold my attention.

The narrative flits between the point of view of various characters – Mrs King, Mrs Bones, Winnie, Alice, the Janes, Hepzibah and Miss de Vries – but all of them have a similar feel and similar voices. Each is trapped, broken, hard, brittle, sharp, hopeful and hungry… they just have different circumstances that made and/or is keeping them that way. As a result, it was sometimes hard to tell the characters apart without context clues, with the exception of the Janes, who remained somewhat blank and mysterious throughout.

There was a darker story, of maids and men, hidden behind the skirts of the housekeeper heist which hooked me in every time it peeked out, but it kept getting lost behind the main plot which I found it very hard to engage with. I just couldn’t believe that the feat described was at all possible, no matter how many step-by-step, cupboard-by-cupboard details the author provided. And it felt a little late to be taking revenge (or even restitution) when the man responsible is no longer in situ, leaving a young woman to pay the price for the sins of her father. It didn’t really fit with the idea of women supporting women (even if in their own self-interest, rather than to out-do the male oppressors specifically) that is demonstrated elsewhere in the novel.

If you enjoy your historical heist thrillers slow-paced and with a large female-centric cast, then this book is well-written and ticks all of those boxes – it just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

A fantastic debut, funny and gripping. Fast moving and easy to read in just a couple of sittings. Would love to read more from this author and any sequels 😍

This book captured my interest from the very start of the blurb 'UPSTAIRS, MADAM IS PLANNING THE PARTY OF THE SEASON. DOWNSTAIRS, THE SERVANTS ARE PLOTTING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY'
I loved the fun feisty characters, set in Edwardian England, I'm sure if Debbie Ocean and her crew went back in time, this is what they would be up to. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

I had to DNF this at 34% in - I kept trying to push myself on, but after months of trying I just gave up.

I found the pace very slow and I didn't connect to or find any of the characters interesting. The plot didn't seem to go anywhere.

This was such a fun read, it was hard to put down! I didn't know I needed to be involved in a heist in Victorian London but I'm better for it. Will definitely be keeping a look out for future works from Alex!

Fabulous period romp with a great cast. It was so detailed, atmospheric and (importantly) fun! Do read it! X

I love a bit of mystery and intrigue and I first heard about The Housekeepers by Alex Hay on Twitter. I saw the teaser campaign and thought that this book is right up my street. I didn’t know who the characters were, I didn't know anything about the plot. It was the strength of the cover and the drip drip drip of teasing that made me want to read it. Well done, Headline!

If I had to describe The Housekeepers I would say it is an Edwardian, turn of the century mash-up of Downton Abbey meets Ocean's 8. Quite the image. It is an awesome heist drama filled with family secrets, the ghettos of post-Victorian London and fabulous female characters who have a bootstrap attitude.

Honestly, I was lost in this world and I loved the feistiness of our characters. Definitely a read to get lost in.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay is available now.

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I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

An audacious plot to seek revenge in a theatrical way is the central premise of this enjoyable book. The connections between characters and events unfolded and I was rooting for the success of their mission.

Unusual story, though totally unbelievable scenario but my interest tailed off as the story unfolded and unfortunately I didn't gel with any of the characters especially the two Janes.
Not for me .

I really struggled with this one , I just couldn’t get into it and found it hard to relate to the characters.